


It's Tutor Time Again

by inabodycastofglass



Series: Tutor AU [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 12:15:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6854272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabodycastofglass/pseuds/inabodycastofglass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tutor" from Will's perspective.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Tutor Time Again

**Author's Note:**

> CrazyCookieChick requested this. I wrote it about a month ago, but only now managed to finish typing it up.  
> It was fun, but I probably won't do another alternate point of view again.

Will thought applying to be a tutor would be pointless. He would put his resume up and that would be it. He didn’t think anyone even used tutors anymore, especially ones that went to public schools.

He was certainly not expecting to get a response a week later from a rich father, who lived in a practically mansion sized house.

Then he was expecting a lazy, bratty kid who rolled her eyes and just told him to watch TV while she did other things. But Hazel was very eager to learn, and focused on the task at hand.

And he was making bank doing it, too.

Someone came over the first day, looking for Hazel’s brother, who was apparently upstairs. Will had been there for an hour and he wasn’t even aware there was anyone else home.

He took advantage of the interruption to run to the bathroom.

He was in such a hurry to get back, feeling uncomfortable about wasting Hazel’s father’s money on his bodily needs, that he slammed, pretty hard, into said brother.

Not a good first meeting. He cleared his throat and held his hand out, trying for a confidant smile. “You must be Hazel’s brother.”

He stared at will like he was the monster in a horror movie. Probably because he looked like the type of kid who skipped school to smoke in a parking lot somewhere, and Will looked like the type who made friends with everyone.

“No.”

He grabbed his friend and ran up the stairs, leaving Will with his hand outstretched, staring awkwardly after him.

He flinched when the door slammed, looking over at Hazel. “Did I do something wrong?”

Hazel shrugged. “Nico’s not good with people. Who knows what his problem is.”

They both looked up at the ceiling when Nico’s muffled yells came through, followed by a crash.

“Should we check on them?”

“No. This happens all the time. But we should get back to work. I have a test next week.”

Will looked back to where the two of them disappeared before returning to the couch beside Hazel to help her solve the problem she was on.

* * *

Will often tried to talk to Nico, only to get brushed off, then glared at from the top of the stairs, making him increasingly uncomfortable. But he just kept trying, even after he would have normally given up.

It occurred to him that he was getting a crush on Nico, and it was frustrating. He’d always thought that he was better than that. Falling for the emotionally unattainable jerk. But here he was, his eyes trailing after Nico as he ran off, his chest squeezing slightly.

But, then again, Will was a fixer. He fixed his siblings scrapes, and now he wanted to fix Nico, making him happy. So he really should have seen this coming.

He’d been invited to a big group dinner one Wednesday, off the clock, off course. And this little bubbling thing that he had wouldn’t let him say no once Hazel told him that Nico would be there.

So he showed up, right on time, ringing the doorbell, and waiting for Hazel to let him in.

Something about coming by for a personal day made him feel nervous, like it was a date. Which was stupid. Nico wasn’t even the one to invite him. Will had never even heard him say more than that single “no”.

Nico opened the door, and a jilt went up Wil’s spine at the sight of him with his hair pulled out of his eyes, and wearing an apron.

“Hello.” Will’s heart pounded, and his voice shook. He was not prepared for this, for seeing Nico’s eyes looking directly into his. They were dark brown and his eyelashes were so thick it mimicked a thin layer of eyeliner.

“It’s Wednesday.”

And there went the romantic part of his awkward feeling.

“Um, yeah.” He looked around, trying to calm himself. “Hazel invited me over. She said you guys do a big dinner every week.” His eyes landed on Nico’s apron, which looked home made. It was black and embroidered with the words “don’t touch the cook”, the apostrophe a little pink skull, and he wanted to laugh. It fit so perfectly. “Are you cooking?”

Nico slammed the door in his face.

Well that could have gone better.

He was tempted to just go home when Nico opened the door back up, making him jump. Nico’s bangs were ruffled, his cheeks pink, and he avoided Will’s eyes. “Come in.”

He walked back inside, leaving the door open.

What on earth was happening?

Will thought as he followed Nico that he should wait in the living room. But the thought of being alone here was even more uncomfortable than staying close to a Nico that didn’t want him there.

He sat at the table instead, looking around. Where was everyone? He turned his attention on Nico, watching him work.

There was a beauty to his movements, and the way he did everything with his hands, never bothering to measure anything. It was like second nature to him, an instinct.

“Are you making Italian food?”

Nico’s back tensed. “Yes.”

Will hummed. He looked to the clock, drumming his fingers on the table. This was awkward. And he was pretty sure Nico hated him.

“That looks really complicated. And you’re not using a recipe or anything.”

Nico looked almost relaxed for a moment. “I’m Italian.”

“And I’m Swedish, but I still can’t make a meatball.”

“But you grew up in America. I didn’t.”

Will sat up, leaning toward Nico. “I thought you had a bit of an accent.”

Talking to Nico like this was a bit intoxicating. He began to crave it, now dreading the moment when the rest of the guests showed up.

“So did your mother teach you?”

He could tell he’d asked the wrong question. Nico had started to relax, his movements simple, flowing. Suddenly he was back to those jerky movements he had before. But he didn’t know what he’d done.

“My sister, actually.”

Will stared at him. He knew nothing about their family, just that it was complicated, and that the two of them were the only ones that lived in the house. But he knew that Hazel hadn’t taught Nico to make authentic Italian cuisine.

He looked up when Hazel and Frank came in, the tense heat washing away at the sight of them. He smiled at her.

“Will.” She looked between him and Nico. “You’re early.”

What? “You said five.” He opened the text to double check. It said five.

“Did I? I meant seven.”

Awesome.

He followed them into the living room.

“I’m really sorry, Will.” Hazel started to pull movies out of the display case, setting them on the table. “I hope things weren’t too awkward.”

“Actually, they were mostly fine.” He stood around, watching them work, feeling like he should help. But they moved like a well oiled machine, and Will realised he was an outside in this. “We actually managed to talk a little.”

Hazel let out a breath. “Oh good.” She smiled at him. “You know, Nico really is a great guy, he’s just kind of awkward. And he’s always been a loner. So, just, give him some time, okay?”

Will thought about Jason, his gut twisting. He didn’t seem like much of a loner around him. But he smiled at Hazel. “All right.”

The rest of the party showed up soon after, Jason leading the way, and things got really chaotic.

Will felt out of place, like an intruder. But he smiled and conversed with everyone like it was the most natural thing in the world for him.

Jason kept looking at him all throughout dinner, and Will avoided any eye contact with him. There was something threatening about his gaze, something penetrating, like he knew something, and he was just waiting for his moment to strike.

It was in the living room after they finished, when Will no longer had the protection of Hazel, when Jason swooped in.

“So, Will.” His voice was loud, like he wanted everyone to hear what he had to say, and Will shrank away from it. “What do you think of Nico?”

Will gripped the side of the cushion he sat on, his heart beating hard. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

Did he know about Will’s crush, and was trying to drive him away?

“Um. I don’t think he likes me very much.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s true. He’s just shy.”

Percy nudged him, and he thought the unexpected contact would make him throw up. “Yeah, Nico’s like that with everyone. He’ll warm up to you eventually.”

Was… Were they encouraging him?

“Maybe you two just need to hang out more.”

No. This was too familiar. THey knew and they were mocking him. He shouldn’t have come.

“Oh, I have an idea.” Jason sat down on the other side of him, and he wanted to bolt from the house. “Some of us are going to a movie after this. Why don’t you come, too?”

“Nico!”

Will jumped. Everyone got up and pushed into the kitchen, Will maneuvering his way to the front.

Nico’s hand was sliced open, and there was a lot of blood running down his arm, dripping on the floor.

Will’s big brother instincts kicked in and he stepped forward, pushing Nico into a chair by his shoulders. “I’ve got this. Hazel, get me a damp cloth.”

Nico cast his glare at everyone who still remained. “What are you all staring at?”

Everyone left, and Hazel came back, handing Will the cloth.

He pressed it into Nico’s palm, adding pressure. It wasn’t a bad cut. He wouldn’t need stitches, thankfully. But he needed the bleeding to slow down before he could even figure out where to start.

“Can I do anything else?”

Will sat back. “No. I just need the first aid kit from Jason.” Where was he, anyway? The one time WIll wanted him around. “You can go. It’ll be easier to focus without hovering sister.” He smiled, thinking of his own sister freaking out, and having to be removed by two of his brothers.

Will tried not to be bothered by the pleading look Nico gave her as she left, but it made him feel a little sick.

Nico turned away from him, moving as far back as he could, like Will disgusted him.

Jason finally came back, holding the first aid kit in the air. “I found it. It was moved to the bathroom, but I found it.”

Will wanted to make a snarky comment, but he was too relieved to have him there.

“Hey, Will.”

Hearing Jason say his name irked him. He just led his hand out for the Kit.

Jason handed it to him, and he got to work on the cut, pretending not to notice the glare Nico had.

He barely managed to wait until Jason was out of the room before blurting out, “did I do something to make you hate me?”

“What?”

He tried not to cringe at how whiny he sounded. “Did I do something? I can’t figure it out.”

Nico didn’t respond, and Will could hear his pulse deep in his ears. He was glad he was so used to doing this, because he could hardly concentrate on anything aside from the silence.

“I don’t hate you.”

“Oh.” He wanted to cry. “Good. I thought-” He bit his tongue hard. He needed to learn to shut up when he was ahead. “So why are you acting like you hate me?”

“I’m just not good with people is all. It takes a long time for me to get close to them.”

“You slammed the door in my face.”

Nico’s hand twitched. “I am very bad with people.”

Will looked up at him. “With everyone?”

Nico gaped at him, his face red. It made Will’s heart skip.

He looked back down. “I’m done.” He pressed the tape down. “You need to change that in an hour."

“Yeah.”

Will closed up the kit. “I don’t know where this goes.” He handed it to Nico.

“Right.”

Will waited until he was gone before laying his face on the table, breathing heavy.

Nico didn’t hate him. He wasn’t disgusted by him. Then again, he probably didn’t realise Will liked him. But that was okay. One step at a time. One step at a time.

He took a breath and went back to the living room before Nico could walk back in and see him.

“Is he okay?”

“Oh yeah.” He sat down beside Hazel. “He just needs to make sure his bandages stay clean. He’s putting the first aid kit away.”

“Good. I thought he might need stitches or something.”

“Not this time.”

Nico walked back into the room, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. “Jason?”

Everyone looked at him, going silent, like magic.

“Can I talk to you?”

Will looked at Jason before everyone else. He looked pale.

“I’m a little busy. Can we talk later?”

“This is more important.”

Nico’s tone gave Will a chill. He looked back to him as everyone else turned to Jason. His lips were even thinner than normal, and, with his head tipped down, he looked dangerous.

Will’s heart skipped.

Jason sighed. “Yeah, all right.”

Piper saluted him as they went upstairs.

Everyone fell back into conversation, but it was fragile, and kept petering out as they looked up every few seconds. Even Will found the silence unnerving.

There was a loud crash some minutes later, making everyone jump.Hazel groaned and buried her face in her hands. “He broke something. And now I’ll have to replace it.”

The tension had dissipated by the time the two of them got back downstairs, both, oddly, smiling.

* * *

Tuesday Will stayed late to help Hazel prepare for a test. He was more than happy to since it meant seeing Nico for the first time since that chaotic dinner.

He seemed surprised to see Will still there.

“Hey.” Will gave him a wave.

Nico looked confused for a moment, and Will thought he might just leave again, but he gripped the railing and gave a quiet, “hello” in response and rushed away.

Will grinned at him. He almost wanted to thank Jason for being such a jerk.

* * *

Will came over as usual that Friday, not expecting Nico to already be there. He thought at first that he might be sick, but he looked physically fine.

“Hey, Will.” Hazel gave him a quiet smile. “You wanna skip work today and watch some movies?”

Will wanted to argue that he was being paid to tutor her, not to hang out. But he looked at Nico, half dead and unresponsive, and caved. “Sure.”

Nico sat up. “Reyna’s coming over.”

“Okay.”

Will sat down beside him, making sure to leave half a cushions space between them. He tried not to stare, to focus on the dumb movie on the TV instead, but he caught sight of Nico playing with his palm and scowled.

“Quit squeezing your hand. You’re irritating the cut.”

Nico looked at him. “It itches.”

“That’s because it’s healing. And it’ll take longer if you keep messing with it.”

“So?” He sounded like one of Will’s siblings, and it made him want to flick Nico’s forehead. “I’d rather it take longer than just deal with it itching like this.”

“You’re being a child. Just stop it.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” He squeezed it again.

Really?

Will huffed, taking Nico’s hand from him. “I can’t believe I have to do this for someone my own age.”

“Hey. Give my hand back.” He pulled on it.

“No. Obviously you can’t be trusted with it.”

“Give it.”

Will head on tighter as Nico yanked, getting pulled on top of him.

For a moment Will felt giddy, then Nico pushed on his shoulder. “Solace. Get off.”

“Stop playing with your hand and I will.”

“No.”

“Then no.” He held Nico’s hand to his chest, wrapping both arms around it.

It was a bit different than fighting with his siblings. For one, Nico was bigger than them. And, for another, none of his siblings made his stomach go crazy with butterflies.

“Get off of me.” He pushed Will into the air with with a foot, stunning him for a moment.

But, when Nico started to pull back, Will held it tighter. “No!”

“Off!”

They turned when the door closed to see Reyna staring at them. WIll’s face went red.

“Do I need to separate you two?”

Will pulled Nico’s hand closer. “No.”

“Yes.”

Reyna sighed and pried Nico’s hand free.

Nico curled around it, giving Will a glare that matched his own.

Will pointed at him. “He’s irritating his cut.”

The indignant look Nico gave him would be funny if Will wasn’t so annoyed. “Did you just tattle on me?”

“I wouldn’t have to if you would just let it be.”

“It’s my hand.”

“And obviously you can’t be trusted with it.”

“With my hand?”

“Yes.”

“And what exactly do you plan to do to stop me? Hold it for the next week and never leave my side?”

“If I have to.”

Nico blushed.

Reyna sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. “I’m not drunk enough for this.”

Nico scoffed. “You don’t drink.”

“My point stands.” She went to help Hazel in the kitchen.

Will put one hand on the back of the couch, leaning uncomfortably close to Nico’s face, glaring at him. “I will make sure you don’t play with that hand.”

Nico’s glare was weak.

Will could feel Nico’s breath and, even as furious as it was, it took everything he had not to look down at his lips.

“Oh no you won’t.”

Oh yes he would. Hazel, that beautiful, brilliant angel, knew Will was right.

So Will sat next to Nico during the movies, holding his hand in his lap, while Nico pouted like a big baby.

He realised during the second movie, that he was playing with Nico’s hand, slowly running his fingers over Nico’s skin.

He wondered if Nico was just so sucked into the movie that he didn’t noticed. Then he thought to stop.

Then he decided not to. If Nico wasn’t stopping him, he had no reason to do so.

He couldn’t tell anyone what was happening in the movie, but he could tell them exactly where every one of Nico’s callouses were.

* * *

He ran into Hazel the next morning at the mall, where she proceeded to play with his little brother that he was trying to keep from getting kidnapped or otherwise harmed for a while.

She invited him over for lunch after they returned him back to their mother, and Will couldn’t say yes fast enough. Food, Nico, and getting away from his family was a triple win.

Hazel told him about her A in science, and Will was so happy about everything he didn’t even realise they were walking into Nico’s room until he saw him laying, shirtless, with an also shirtless Jason snuggled into his chest.

Nico sat up, blinking at Hazel. “What?”

“I got you a new alarm clock. I’m hooking it up before I forget.”

“I can do that myself, you know.”

“Can, but won’t.”

Will was aware Haze was doing things, but he couldn’t look away from Nico, who finally seemed to notice he was there.

Nico’s face turned red. “Oh god.”

Will left the room, his throat burning.

“Will, wait!”

He stopped on the stairs. He was having trouble breathing. He resisted the urge to look at Nico. If he did, he’d start to cry.

“What were you doing in my room?”

Will turned to him, his jaw set. “What?”

Nico covered his face with both hands. “Oh god. That’s not what I meant. I just- it’s Saturday.”

And what exactly did that mean? Did he only have shirtless snuggle sleepovers with Jason on Friday nights?

“Yeah. I ran into Hazel at the mall. She invited me over for lunch.”

Nico’s face went blank in an instant. “Right. Well.”

He turned to leave, and Will panicked. He had to know what was happening, or he’d wonder forever.

“Are you and Jason together?”

“What?” He turned back around.

Will looked between his eyes, searching for anything in them. “Are you dating Jason?”

“Jason? No. Jason’s with Piper.”

Will felt like he couldn’t breathe. “What about Reyna?” He didn’t know why he was asking about Reyna. He’d never even got the impression that there was anything past normal friendship between them.

Nico wrinkled his nose. “Reyna’s just my friend.”

“And Percy?” He knew there was something there. He could feel it.

“No. I don’t like Percy like that. Why?”

“I just... “ WIll moved closer to him, involuntarily. “I thought we had…” Didn’t they? After last night he’d got his hopes up. Maybe he was wrong.

“Had what?” Nico’s voice cracked.

Will looked back up at him. “I thought we had something, you know, between us. Was I wrong?”

“I- You’re Hazel’s tutor.”

“Is that your only problem with us?” Will took a step up, toward him.

“I…”

“Nico.” Will held his hand out to him, palm up, shaking. “I like you.”

Nico looked like he might faint. “I…”

Wills eyes burned. “You?”

Nico started to lift his hand.

Will reached out and took it, moving the last few steps to the top, and pulling Nico into his arms. He buried his face in Nico’s hair, taking a deep, shaking breath.

Slowly, very, painfully slowly, Nico held him back, squeezing tight.

“Finally.”

Nico jumped back, his face red. He looked at Hazel, staring at them, her hands on her hips. “Finally?”

“You two have been flirting for weeks. I thought I would have to lock you in a closet together.”

“I was not flirting.”

“Oh, yes you were.”

Will ran his fingers over Nico’s knuckles, feeling the way his hand shook.

“Wait. You knew about- about me?”

She smiled at him. “Of course I did. I’m your sister.”

Will tried his best not to intrude on their moment. He even thought to leave to give them some time, but it was over too soon.

She waved to Will when she left.

He took Nico’s hand again.

“I really like you, Nico. And I really want you to like me, too.” Even his breathing shook. “Do you?”

Nico looked down, and Will’s nerves spiked.

“Nico?”

Will’s stomach rolled when Nico looked up at him.

“If it takes this much thought, maybe we shouldn't do this.” The words tore at him, but Will couldn’t force this on him. It was better to end it first.

“No.” Nico gripped his hand, and Will’s heart beat hard. “I do. I like you, too.”

Will broke into a grin. “Then, can I kiss you?”

Slowly Nico nodded

Will swooped down, crashing their teeth together.

“Ow.” Nico pulled back, covering his mouth.

“Sorry. Sorry. Let me try again.”

Will took a breath, closing his eyes. Then he looked down at Nico, taking his chin in between his bent pointer finger and his thumb, leant down slowly, and kissed him.

Nico sucked in a deep, long breath, and held it until Will pulled back. His hand gripped Will’s hip.

Will pulled on the drawstring of Nico’s pajama bottoms lightly. “I’ve wanted to do that since forever.” He bit his lip, grinning, his eyes still closed.

“I’m sure that’s an exaggeration.”

“Nope.”

“Well then, I hope it wasn’t too much of a disappointment.”

“On the contrary.”

“Oh good.”

Will opened his eyes to look at him. “So, uh, you wanna be my boyfriend or something?”

“Um.” Nico looked at his hand on Will’s hip. “Sure.”

“All right.” Will looked to the side. “Wanna, uh, go to a movie?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

“Let me just...” He gestured over his shoulder. “Jason.”

“Right.”

Will watched him as he walked away. He as a little annoyed at the whole locking himself in a room with Jason thing, but he was still on cloud nine from that kiss.

He took a deep breath and thrust his fists in the air. “Yes!”


End file.
